William Herbert Sheldon
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William Herbert Sheldon (November 19, 1898 – September 17, 1977) was an American psychologist and numismatist. Sheldon distinguished himself in both fields; in psychology, Sheldon pioneered the use of anthropometry in the development of his categories of somatotypes, and in numismatics, Sheldon authored Penny Whimsy, the first work to extensively catalog the varieties of early American large cents. He also developed the "Sheldon scale" that graded coins on a numeric basis from 1 to 70 [1].
Through the use of many photographs and measurements of nude figures (mainly Ivy League students), Sheldon assigned people into three categories of body types in the 1940s: endomorphic, mesomorphic, and ectomorphic. He also assigned personality traits to the body types as well. Endomorphics had fat, soft, and round body types, and their personality was described as relaxed, fond of eating, and sociable. Mesomorphics were muscular, rectangular, strong, and personality-wise were filled with energy, courage, and assertive tendencies. Ectomorphics were thin, long, fragile, as well as brainy, artistic, and introverted; they would think about life, rather than consuming it or acting on it.
Sheldon's star has dimmed somewhat in recent years. By and large, most psychologists no longer accept the validity of somatotype theory [2], and later revelations that Sheldon used his access to the American Numismatic Society's large cent collection to engage in theft [3] have called his role in numismatic history into question. Nonetheless, his "Sheldon scale" for coin grading is still standard today among American numismatists. He died in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1977.
[edit] References
- William H. Sheldon, The varieties of human physique: An introduction to constitutional psychology (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1940).
- New York Times; September 18, 1977. William H. Sheldon, 78; Correlated Physiques And Traits of Behavior; Headed Research Center. Dr. William Herbert Sheldon, a psychologist and researcher in correlating human biology and physique with social behavior, died Friday of a heart ailment at his office at the Biological Humanics Center in Cambridge, Mass. He was 78 years old.
[edit] External link
- John S. Sample: Sheldon
- Sheldon, William Herbert (1898-1977), Papers. Guide to the Collections of the National Anthropological Archives.
